


Cigarettes and Snowfall

by TheFairieQueen



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bars and Pubs, Bets & Wagers, Flirting, Gambling, M/M, counting cards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 13:52:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17122580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFairieQueen/pseuds/TheFairieQueen
Summary: Every night, he saw Allen Walker there.  Counting cards, and cheating people out of their wallets.  And every night, Tyki passed him.  (Modern AU)





	Cigarettes and Snowfall

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Poker Pair (Mini) Secret Santa! This was a little something written for heliosdump on Tumblr - I hope you like it! <3

His hair looked like snowfall.  
  
That was the first thing Tyki thought when he saw Allen Walker.  That the boy’s hair looked like snow, too shocking of a white to belong to someone so young, and far too pale.  Ghostly, even – Tyki wondered if Allen knew what sunlight was, or at the very least ever walked out during the day.    
  
It was always late at night when Tyki saw Allen, hanging outside of the pub and shuffling cards.  He never went inside, though.  Tyki wasn’t sure if it was because Allen was simply under 21, or was just too conscientious of getting caught counting cards.    
  
Because that  _was_  what Allen was doing – counting cards, and cheating people out of their wallets.  Allen was careful, and discreet, but Tyki knew the swift slight of hand and subtle tricks all too well.  He knew the look of concentration that burned in Allen’s eyes, two chips of moonlight that were calculating and shrew.  Tyki knew, because he had bore that look – though his eyes burned fire, molten in blazing gold like broken shards of a star’s core.  
  
This trend continued for nights.  Tyki frequented the pub regularly, meeting up with his usual crowd.  They typically just smoked, and cheated each other like enemies while talking like best friends, digs rolling off their tongues like compliments and knives slipped in-between their lips like poison.  Every night, Tyki engaged in this, and every night he left.     
  
And every night he left, he passed Allen.  
  
Allen never noticed Tyki. If he did, he made no signs of it.  Admittedly, this added to some intrigue.  Tyki wasn’t sure how to read the snow-haired boy who was always cheating people like his life depended on it, and who never stayed for too long.  He wasn’t sure, but he was interested.  
  
Eventually, that interest reached its limit.  
  
It was sometime mid-December when it happened.  It was cold, and there was already snow on the ground: powdery, and soft.  It seemed to sparkle in an oddly pristine way beneath the darkness of night, though Tyki knew the sight was temporary.  By morning, it would be slush, brown and dirtied with grime from footprints and cars.    
  
As he stepped out of the pub’s main entrance, Tyki pulled out a lighter.  He already had another cigarette between his lips, chilled from the air and nipped with cold.  There was a _click_ , and soon the end was smoking, as the tip began to dissolve to ash.  
  
Tyki took a drag, holding his breath for a second before releasing.  He could already feel the nicotine fix kicking in, and his eyes wandered off to the side.  
  
As always, Allen was there.  He was in his usual spot by the corner, with some poor loser who had just lost the last of his cash.  Faintly, Tyki could hear the man grumble some low curses before walking off, defeated and wallet dry.  
  
Tyki tapped his cigarette, some of the ashes falling down.  They sizzled into the snow softly, and he walked over toward where Allen was.    
  
Allen was pocketing the cash when Tyki approached him, and his eyes flickered up.  Something flashed in the silvery-gray irises, fleeting as whatever it was quickly dissolved into cool disinterest.  “I’m done for the night,” Allen said, as he pulled his coat close in preparation to leave.  
  
Tyki smiled, and leaned against the side of the building.  “Really?  That’s too bad,” He said.  “I was thinking you’d be here a bit longer.  You usually are around pretty late.”  
  
Allen shrugged, and there was a small, polite smile on his lips that did not reach his eyes.  “Sometimes.”  
  
“But not tonight,” Tyki repeated, as he took another drag.  
  
“Not if you’re going to be hanging around.”  
  
A dry laugh escaped Tyki.  “Ouch.  Pretty savage there,” Tyki commented.  There was an amused gleam in his eyes, and he glanced over at Allen, mouth pulling up into a grin.  “Didn’t even give me a chance to explain why I came over.”  
  
Allen’s eyes flickered to Tyki, and there as a faint hint of interest.  “To throw away your cash?” He questioned, a teasing edge to his words that felt like a needle wrapped in snow.  “If so, I might make an exception.”  
  
“Savage,  _and_  a businessman.  Just delightful,” Tyki said, as he exhaled a puff of smoke from his lips.  “My reason wasn’t that exciting though, so it’ll be a disappointment.”  
  
Allen’s intrigue remained.  “I can’t judge unless you tell me,” He pointed out.  There was a tiny trace of impatience in his voice, though it was clear he was holding back.  “But if you’re not-“  
  
“Why are you out here?”  
  
The question caused Allen to halt, and there was a legitimately flummoxed look in his eyes.  “What?”  
  
“Why are you out here?” Tyki repeated.  He was still leaning against the wall of the pub, the sound of voices faintly spilling from the main entrance each time someone came or went.  “You’re here every night.”  
  
Suddenly, Allen’s eyes hardened.  He looked away somewhat abruptly.  “So are you.”  
  
A smile lingered on Tyki’s lips, and his eyes burned in Allen’s direction.  “Glad to know you noticed.”  
  
Frowning, Allen bit back a curse at his slip.  He quickly moved along the conversation though.  “You don’t need to know why I’m always out here.”  
  
“Never said it was a need.  Just curious,” Tyki replied, words completely nonchalant in nature.  He then tilted his head to the side, with mild interest in his eyes as he stared over at Allen.  “Kind of defensive there.”  
  
Allen didn’t meet Tyki’s gaze, and kept his focus averted.  It was a strange response; Tyki had half-expected Allen to snap back.  He could have a polite air about him with how he talked to others – Tyki had seen it, and seen the mask of a smile the boy wore.  But, there was a notable  _bite_  there.  Something sharp and unpredictable, like a blade carefully placed beneath the surface of a calm stream.  
  
The air fell quiet, with only the distant ruckus from the pub lingering mutely in the background.  Tyki continued to lean back against the wall, as he worked on his cigarette.  Allen also remained, body blose to the building corner, and eyes distant.  
  
After a few moments, Tyki pulled the cigarette from his lips.  “Let’s play a game,” He said, earning a somewhat perplexed glance from Allen.  “Nothing complicated.  We each draw a card.  Whoever has the stronger card wins.”  
  
Allen’s eyes glinted, intrigue once more evident.  “What’ll you put on the table?”  
  
“Not much.  My ass is broke enough as it is,” Tyki said.  “But I’ll buy you a drink.”  
  
Allen’s eyes moved toward the pub, and his lips pulled upward.  “Fine.  Loser buys a drink.  I’ll play.”  
  
Tyki tapped the cigarette against the wall, as Allen began to shuffle the deck.  Carefully, he watched, golden eyes tracing along the pale, slim hands as the pulled and shuffled, cards flapping in the wintry air.  
  
Finally, Allen stopped.  He held up the deck.  “You draw first.”  
  
Tyki’s eyes remained on the deck, and he paused.  For a moment, he looked as though he were contemplating on saying something, but opted to remain silent, drawing a card.  Once he did so, Allen drew his own.  
  
Tyki glanced at his.  A joker.  His eyes flickered over to Allen.  “Time to show.”  
  
They both showed their cards, with Tyki’s attention falling onto Allen’s: an ace.  
  
Tyki chuckled.  “Figures.  Cheating bastard,” He commented, tone more good-natured than anything else.  
  
Allen didn’t deny the accusation, and instead a hint of a smile played at his lips.  “You said you’ve seen me here.  You should know how I work by then,” Allen spoke, smile broadening.  “And now you’re going to buy me a drink, right?”  
  
Tyki leaned back against the wall, hand in his pocket.  Taking the near-finished cigarette, he smothered it against the wall, allowing it to fall into the snow.  
  
“I’ll buy you two.”


End file.
